Nationals Should Go After Recently DFA'd Veteran Pitcher

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Eric Lauer John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Nationals Should Go After Recently DFA'd Veteran Pitcher

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated May 11, 2026 4:26 PM ET

The Washington Nationals are still trying to solve their pitching conundrum.

After things got off to a horrendous start at the beginning of the season, it seemed like everything had settled down a bit. Cade Cavalli spun a couple of gems, Zack Littell and Miles Mikolas had some bounce back performances, the bullpen put together a strong stretch and Foster Griffin continued to perform like one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball.

However, during their two losses against the Miami Marlins on Saturday and Sunday that resulted in a series defeat for the Nationals, the pitching woes were on display once again when relievers Mitchell Parker and Gus Varland were responsible for the late-inning losses.

As Washington tries to field the best overall pitching staff possible, it's clear they still need help. And with left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer getting designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays, as was reported by Keegan Matheson of The Athletic, there are two main reasons why the Nationals should go after him.

Can Use Eric Lauer As Their Opener

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

First, it should be pointed out that Lauer wouldn't have been DFA'd by the Blue Jays if he had been performing well. And with a 6.69 ERA across his eight outings (six starts), there are questions if he can be an effective big league arm. But for Washington, rolling the dice on the veteran is something they should do. And if they are able to land him -- whether that's by claiming him off waivers or putting together a trade -- then the first thing they should do is utilize him as their opener ahead of either Littell or Mikolas.

To date, PJ Poulin has been the primary opener when needed. Richard Lovelady took on that role on Saturday since Poulin was called upon to record a save on Friday, but other than that, no one else has been used to open games. While Poulin has been solid in that position, the issue for the Nationals is they are without one of their better high-leverage relievers on the days he opens. So by bringing in Lauer and using him as the opener instead, that should help improve the bullpen.

Statistics don't suggest Washington would benefit from that strategy since Lauer has given up five earned runs in first innings this season. But if he's able to turn things around and have an ERA of 3.00 during the first inning like he had last year, then that would be a huge plus for the Nationals.

Creates a More Versatile Bullpen

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Beyond primarily using Lauer as an opener, adding him to the fold alongside Parker and Brad Lord would also give Washington a more versatile bullpen with multiple options in their midst who have been starting pitchers and can provide long relief.

And because the Nationals haven't gotten a ton of length out of their starters so far this season, rostering bullpen arms who have the ability to pitching several innings will keep their other relievers fresh over the course of the long campaign.

With all of that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Washington decides to go after Lauer or not. While he hasn't performed well to start this season, he is worth taking a chance on.

This article first appeared on Washington Nationals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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